Brothers In Arms

Martin Luna, a new student at Bluford High, is at the center of this story. Haunted by the tragic death of his little brother, Martin seeks one thing: revenge. But his mother wants more for her only remaining child. Will Martin listen to her, or will he allow anger to control him?--Publisher description.

The renowned historian and author of Normandy ’44 recounts the operations and personal experiences of the legendary Sherwood Rangers during WWII. One of the last cavalry units to ride horses into battle, the Sherwood Rangers were transformed into a “mechanized cavalry” of tanks in 1942. After winning acclaim in the North African campaign, they spearheaded one of the D-Day landings in Normandy and became the first British troops to cross into Germany. Their courage, skill and tenacity contributed mightily to the surrender of Germany in 1945. Inspired by Stephen Ambrose’s Band of Brothers, historian James Holland profiles this extraordinary group of citizen soldiers. Informed by never-before-seen documents, letters, photographs, and other artifacts from Sherwood Rangers’ families, Holland offers a uniquely intimate portrait of the war at ground level. Brothers in Arms introduces heroes such as Commanding Officer Stanley Christopherson, squadron commander John Semken, Sergeant George Dring, and others who helped their regiment earn the most battle honors of any in British army history. Weaving their exploits into the larger narrative of D-Day to V-E Day, Holland offers fresh analysis and perspective on the endgame of WWII in Europe.

Reviews of the Knopf edition: "A wonderful book—fresh and intelligent. Broyles's eye for Vietnam, then and now, is unerring." —Peter Jennings "[A] superbly written, often moving story of Broyles' journey back to the killing ground in Vietnam where he once served as a Marine lieutenant. A cool, clear meditation that stings the heart." —Kirkus Reviews "A first-rate piece of work, infused with an ideal American common decency and common sense." —Kurt Vonnegut "Exceptional and memorable." —Gay Talese

When the Khmer Rouge came to power in Cambodia in 1975, they inherited a war-ravaged and internationally isolated country. Pol Pot’s government espoused the rhetoric of self-reliance, but Democratic Kampuchea was utterly dependent on Chinese foreign aid and technical assistance to survive. Yet in a markedly asymmetrical relationship between a modernizing, nuclear power and a virtually premodern state, China was largely unable to use its power to influence Cambodian politics or policy. In Brothers in Arms, Andrew Mertha traces this surprising lack of influence to variations between the Chinese and Cambodian institutions that administered military aid, technology transfer, and international trade. Today, China’s extensive engagement with the developing world suggests an inexorably rising China in the process of securing a degree of economic and political dominance that was unthinkable even a decade ago. Yet, China’s experience with its first-ever client state suggests that the effectiveness of Chinese foreign aid, and influence that comes with it, is only as good as the institutions that manage the relationship. By focusing on the links between China and Democratic Kampuchea, Mertha peers into the “black box” of Chinese foreign aid to illustrate how domestic institutional fragmentation limits Beijing’s ability to influence the countries that accept its assistance.

A vivid, character-driven narration of the time before, during, and after Kennedy's death, centered on the Kennedys and the Castros, two opposed sets of brothers who collectively authored one of modern history's most gripping chapters.

“With sharp insights into history, combat, and human nature, this enthralling novel can stand beside even the best chronicles of that fabled ‘band of brothers.’ ” –Ralph Peters, author of Wars of Blood and Faith It’s 1944, and the German war machine is on its heels but still lethal, while the Allies pry the Netherlands from the Nazis’ grasp. Operation Market Garden will be spearheaded by the 101st Airborne Screaming Eagles. But if you’re one man in one corner of this battle, it’s a plunge into chaos–at a place called “Hell’s Highway.” Sergeant Matt Baker is a recon leader from the 101st, in charge of a team of Brits, Americans, and Dutch resistance fighters sent on a desperate reconnaissance mission. For Baker, every step behind enemy lines means dozens of critical choices, firefights that explode out of nowhere, and facing down one ruthless German who knows his war is lost– and who is as fierce as he is brilliant. To both men, it’s a battle to get out of hell alive. From the struggles of the men and women of the Dutch resistance to a pitched fight for one critical bridge, Hell’s Highway is the suspense-packed, surprise-filled version of the bestselling video game–and an intense epic journey into the true nature of war.

Scott St. Andrew is a first year cadet at South Point Academy on Exeter, a rocky moon circling a distant colony planet. All he has to do is survive the toughest, most gruelling training program in the military. Then he'll be qualified to become an officer in the Guard Corps and be on his way off his filthy, poisonous planet and into the Terran Alliance elite. But Scott's chance of being the one in a thousand to escape the colonist destiny is rapidly disappearing. His genetic flaws (scars, no memory boosting or physical enhancement) make him one of the weakest in his squad and an inevitable target for ritual hazing. And events are about to spiral completely out of his control as the long simmering resentment between the colonial worlds and the rich Terran Alliance flares into open violence and rebellion. Now every soldier has to chose his side--and survive a hellishly accelerated training to join the deep space fighting before there is nothing left to fight for.